Method and apparatus for filling containers

ABSTRACT

Empty cans are fed to a multiple filling head turret, and as the turret rotates the filling heads are turned through four positions. In the first position the filling head rotor valve is indexed allowing venting to the atmosphere. In the second position a vacuum is drawn in the can. At the third position dual passages allow syrup to flow into the container while the vacuum channel remains open. In the fourth position the primary syrup passage remains fully open while the vacuum is drawn through the restricted portion of the vacuum channel, drawing off the remaining air, excess syrup and foam, insuring complete filling of the can.

United States Patent lnventors Robert R. Hall;

Sherman 1-1. Creed, San Jose, Calif. 739,233 June 24,1968 Jan. 5, 1971FMC Corporlilon Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee San Jose, Cali acorporation 1' Delaware METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS 1Field of Search l37/625.31 (US. on] 141/7, 8, 44, 4 5, 4750 57-59, 62,69,115,116, 119, 286, 201

Primary Examiner-Laverne Geiger Assistant Examiner-Edward J. EarlsAttorneysF. W. Anderson and C. E. Tripp ABSTRACT: Empty cans are fed toa multiple filling head turret, and as the turret rotates the fillingheads are turned through four positions. In the first position thefilling head rotor valve is indexed allowing venting to the atmosphere.In the second position a vacuum is drawn in the can. At the thirdposition dual passages allow syrup to flow into the container while thevacuum channel remains open. In the fourth position the primary syruppassage remains fully open while the vacuum is drawn through therestricted portion of the vacuum channel, drawing off the remaining air,excess syrup and foam, insuring complete filling of the can.

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SHERMAN H. CREED AT TORNE YS 'PATENTEU JAN 5 l97| SHEET u [1F 4INVENTORS. ROBERT R. BALL I 3.1m FINAL FILL PQSITIQN SHERMAN H. CREEDATTORNEYS METHOD AND APPARATUS FORFILLING cONTAINERs BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention Thepresentinvention relates tomachines for filling con-' tainers with liquid and isparticularly-concerned with an improved filling head by which the cansare filled with syrup to a predetermined height in machines known assyrupers.

2. Description of the Prior Art g The Hoar US. Pat. N0.2,070,302discloses a three-position valve having (I) an atmospheric ventposition; (2) a vacuum onlyposition; and (3) a liquid filling withauxiliary vacuum position.

The apparatus disclosed by the Boucher US. Pat No.-

3,I72,434 has a four-position valve having (I) a position where thevalve is closed; (2) a vacuum only position; (3) a position in which thesyrup passageis open anda vacuum is" simultaneously drawn through aradial slot; and (4) a position where the vacuum passage is closed andthe syrup passage registers with the radial slot, discharging a smallquantity of syrup to completely fill the container.

The Ardron US. Pat. No. 2,546,418 describes a four-position filling headby which the container is (I) initially vented to the atmosphere; (2)then subjected to a vacuum. At (3) the vacuum is cut offand thecontainer'is'filled by thepressure differential and gravity, until theair remaining inthe container produces a pressure balance. At (4) anauxiliary vacuum connection draws off residual air and syrup, allowingthe container to fill to the displacer pad.

7 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The filling heads of the present inventionmay be employed in a container-filling machine (or-syruper) such asthat'disclosed in the copending application Ser. No. 717,5 82 by Creedfiled on Apr. 1, I968,\assigned to the FMC Corporation. For details ofthe machine structure not required for understanding of the presentinvention reference may be-made to the Creed application. I

A principal object of the present invention-is to'speed up the fillingoperation. This is accomplished by vacuumizing the can during the lastthree steps of a four-step filling cycle. Another object is to minimizethe amount of liquid drawn through the vacuum passage during the finalvacuum-filling portion of the filling. cycle.

These objects and other advantages are attained by a four positionfilling head having'vent, vacuum, initial fill and final opens both asyrup channel and the vent passages in thevalve body and displacer-padto the syrup reservoir. A new vacuum channel is established, whichcontinues to draw a vacuum on the container. The syrup flows rapidlyfrom the reservoir into the container, due to the pressure. differentialbetween the vacuum in the container. and the syrup which is atatmospheric pressure in the reservoir, as well as due to the force ofgravity. The syrup channel is augmented by use of the ventpassages inthe valve body and displacer pad, .thereby providing dual fluid flowpaths to the container. Also, filling of the interstices in thecontainer is'assured due to the continuedvacuum being drawn on thecontainer and its contents.

The fourth position of the rotor is the final fill position, forcompletion of the filling process or topping-off. The vacuum channelremains open. However, the vacuum channel now has a reduced crosssection, resulting in a reduced rate 0f air.

removal from the can. In thisposition, the principal 'syrup channelremainsopen, but it is no'longer' augmented by the vent passages. As thecan becomes full, or during the topping off process, the remaining airand excess syrup are drawn from BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1is a central vertical section of'a filling machine including the fillingheads of the present invention;

FIG. 2'is an enlarged plan'of a valve assembly;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through a valve assembly;

FIG. 3A is a sectiontaken on line 3A-3A'of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective diagram of the filling head;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section through a portion of the filling headlooking on'line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6, 8 and 10 are diagrams similar to FIG. 4, illustrating thedifferent valve positions insequence and resulting flow paths;

FIGS. 7, 9 and 11 are sections similar to FIG. 5,'also illustrating thedifferent valve positions in sequence;

FIG. 9A is a fragmentary section taken on line 9A-9A of FIG. 9; and YFIG. 9B is a fragmentary section taken on line 9B-9B 'of FIG. 9;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THEsYRuPER" shaft 28 projecting down from the reservoir. The shaft" 28i'srotatably'mounted in the machine frame by an upper bearing 30 on a tube31 projecting from a frame cross brace 33, and' on a lower bearing 34 ona lower'cross brace 36. The cross braces connect to vertical supports38-and 39.

. At the bottom of the reservoir a vacuum'chamb'er 40"is pro vided by asealed cover pIate'I41fThe'vacuum chamber'is m nected-by'a pipe 42 to atrap tank-44. The-trap tank 44'is con-' nected by pipe 46to a vacuumsource indicated at V, by'which the chamber 40 is maintained under avacuum that is in the .order of 17% inches of mercury. This structure isknownin the art and .its details are notcritical tothis invention.

Liquid, such as syrup or fruit juice, with which the cans are to befilled, is maintained at the desired workinglevel in the reservoir 26ina conventional manner. Liquid and air that enter the vacuum chamber 40,as a result of the operation'of the filling heads 20, are drawn from thechamber through the pipe 42and into the trap tank 44, where the liquidis separated" from the air and returned to thereservoir 26 by pipes 45.

. A drive 50 rotates the turret 24 in the direction indicatedbyarrows52' (FIG. I). The drive includes a'right angledrive 54 havingapower inputshaft=56 that is connected by a sprocket and chainarrangement 58 with a source of power (not shown) such as an electricmotor; A poweroutputshaftfiO, of the right angle drive 54, has'a pinion62 fixed thereon that meshes with a larger gear "64 which in turn issecured to the turret shaft 28 to rotate the-turret upon operation ofthe drive 50L Thus, the circular array of fillingheads 20,'which aremounted on the turret, is advanced in a circular path in the directionor arrows 52.

The can-filling heads 20 each includes rotary valves and these valvesform the subject matter of the present invention. As the turret rotates,the valves are indexed by star wheels 68 and fixed cams 70, in awell-known manner.

Referring to FIGS. l3, each filling head 20 has a valve body 72, a valverotor 74 and a displacer pad 76. The valve bodies 72 are fixed to acylindrical wall 78 ofthe reservoir 26 and project therefrom in ahorizontal plane. The valve rotors 74 are rotatably mounted on the valvebodies and are rotated about their own axes by the star wheels 68. Theentire valve assemblies follow a circular path about the centralvertical axis of the syruper.

During a filling cycle, open top cans C are brought up against gaskets80 which surround the displacer heads 76, by a generally helical rampstructure 93 of the syruping machine. as in the Creed application. Asthe turret rotates, the star wheel 68 turns the valve rotors 74. Thiscyclically connects the cans to the vacuum chamber 40 through ports 84formed in the peripheral wall of the vacuum chamber, to vacuumize thecans. In other positions of the valves, the cans are connected to thereservoir 26 through ports 86 at the bottom of the reservoir, in orderto fill the cans with liquid.

As described in the Creed application, various can guides are supportedby an upper ring 88 on the valve bodies 72. The ring 88 mounts the upperends of vertically extending rollers 90, which rollers are more thantwice as long as the height of the cans C to accommodate vertical motionof the cans during their passage through the syruper. The lower ends ofthe rollers are supported on a frame ring 91. The rollers 90 associatedwith each filling head 20 provide pockets in which cans are seated forguided vertical movement during rotation ofthe turret. The helical ramp93 raises and lowers the cans as the turret rotates. The cans areradially confined by a helical guide rail 92 as they are carried aroundby the turret. This rail, in cooperation with rollers 90, causes asmooth guiding and advancing action as the cans are raised by the ramp.

Also mounted on the upper ring 88 are three studs at each can pocket.These are paired studs 94 and an inner stud 95 (FIG. 2). The lower endsof the studs are tapered so that if the mouth of the can being guidedupward by cooperating rollers 90 toward a filling head is distorted, thecan will be cammed into a more circular configuration. The studs alsocenter the cans with respect to the valves as they approach the fillingheads. Thus the rollers 90 and the studs 94 and 95 cooperate in assuringthat the mouths of the cans will be substantially circular and properlyoriented to encircle displacer pads 76 and seat against the gaskets 78.The aforesaid studs form part of the invention in the aforesaid Creedapplication.

FILLING HEAD Having described a machine that includes the filling headsof the present invention, the latter will now be described in detail. Aspreviously mentioned, each filling head is composed ofa star wheel 68, arotor 74, a valve body 72, a displacer pad 76 and a can-sealing gasket78. The valve body is formed in two halves (FIG. 3), bonded together.

The rotor 74 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is rotatably mounted on the lower end of astub shaft 96, the upper end of the shaft being secured at 97 to areservoir bowl flange 97a. A spring 98 (FIG. 3) presses the valve rotor74 into sealing engagement with the body 72. The star wheel 68 drivesthe rotor 74 by means ofa noncircular connection 99, seen in dottedlines in FIG. 2.

As seen in FIG. 4, et seg., the rotor contains a through vent passage100 to atmosphere, a blind concavity forming a vacuum channel 102 and ablind, generally triangular concavity forming a syrup channel 104. Thevacuum channel 102 is generally crescent shaped, having notch 102a atits midposition for alignment with a primary port 110 in the valve body,as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. The vacuum channel 102 can also be alignedwith a vacuum gallery 106 in the valve body, in all but the ventposition shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The vacuum channel 102 is necked downin both width and depth at 102b (FIG.

9A) for restrictive connection with the vacuum gallery 106, in the finalfill position seen in FIGS. 10 and 11. The purpose of the varying crosssection of channel 102 is to allow air to be drawn from the can at ahigh rate during the vacuum and ini' tial fill positions, but to reducethat rate in the final fill position. This minimizes carryover of thesyrup into the vacuum trap 44.

As mentioned, the valve body 72, as shown in FIG. 9, contains a vacuumgallery 106 which leads to the vacuum chamber 40 through ports 84 in thewall of vacuum chamber 40 (FIG. 1). Also formed in the valve body is asyrup gallery 108 (FIGS. 3, 10 and 11), which leads through ports 86(FIG. 3) to the reservoir 26 (FIG. 1). The valve body also contains thelarge primary port 110 (previously mentioned) which extends elearthrough the body, and a smaller, secondary port 112 which is angledthrough the body (FIG. 4). The valve body also has a through ventpassage 114 (FIG. 4).

Screwed to the bottom of the valve body 72 is the displacer pad 76 (FIG.3) which determines the empty space between the syrup level and the topof the open container C. The pad contains a vent passage 116 extendingtherethrough, and which is always aligned with the vent passage 114 ofthe body (FIG. 4). Also, and as seen in FIG. 4, in the Vent Position,"the vent passage 100 of the rotor 74 is aligned with the body ventpassage 114, and hence with the displacer vent passage 116, so that thethree passages vent the container to the atmosphere.

The displacer pad contains a group of large diameter blind passages 118connected by a gallery 119 (FIGS. 3 and 3A). The pad also has a group ofsmaller diameter passages 120 connected by a separate gallery 121 withinthe pad.

The can-sealing gasket surrounds the displacer pad (FIG. 3), and sealsagainst the underside of the valve body 72. The gasket closes the lip ofthe container C during the filling operation.

OPERATION Cans which have been previously filled with material such ascling peach halves are advanced into the filling machine by a conveyor(not shown). For a detailed description of the can induction into themachine, see the aforesaid Creed application Ser. No. 717,582,incorporated herein by reference.

Rollers advance the cans that are seated in the roller pockets in thedirection of arrow 52, FIG. I. The cans are then slid upward along therollers 90 by the ascending portion of ramp 93 until they reach thefilling heads 20. If the cans are misoriented or out of round they willbe properly oriented and/or cammed into circular configuration by thebevels of studs 94 and 95. This assures that the upper rims of the canswill be substantially circular and properly seated on the filling head20 as the cans approach the horizontal portion of the ramp 93.

As the cans advance along the horizontal portion of the ramp the canlips or rims are sealed against the can-sealing gasket 80(FIG.3).

FILLING SEQUENCE VENT POSITION (FIGS. 4 AND 5) Upon reaching thehorizontal portion of the ramp the can engages the filling head 20 whoserotor 74 is in the vent position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In thisposition, vent passages 100, 114 and 116 are in line, thereby ventingthe can C to atmosphere through the rotor passage 100, which is alwaysopen to atmosphere.

The vacuum gallery 106 formed in the valve body 72 is blanked off by therotor 74. The syrup gallery 108 in the valve body leads to the syrupchannel 104 in the rotor, but the latter makes no connection with anyother passages, and hence blanks off the syrup gallery 108, in the ventposition. Thus only an atmosphere vent connection is established withthe can, as described above.

' the vent 114 in the body (FIG. 11) is blanked off by vAcuuMrosirioutrros. 6 AND. 7)

Upon advancingapproximately l 5 5from the can induction point the starwheel 68 engages the first of four fixed cams 70,

' turning the rotor approximately 90.-] his brings the-filler head tothe vacuum position, as illustrated in'FIGS. 6 and 7 In this position,the notch 102a;of, the'vacuum channel 102 is oriented over theprimary'port 110 that extends through the valve body 72.. The bodyportlis always open to the gallery 119 and hence to the ports1l8 in thedisplacer pad 78 (FIG 3A). This opens a continuous passagefrom the can,through the group of large dia'meterpassages 118 of the displacer pad,

through the primary port 110, reyersely through the .blind notch 102a inthe rotor, and back down through the vacuum, gallery 106 in the valvebody 72. A vacuum now is drawn in the can from port 84in thevacuumchamber 40. v

In the vacuumposition, the air. vent 100 in the rotor. is blanked off.by the valve body 72 (FIG. 7). The blind syrup channel 104'in the rotor74 is'alsoblanked off by the valve body,- thereby closing the syrupgallery 108 in the valve body (FIG. 7).

The can: is-vacuumized to about l7/ 2 inches ofmercury,

preparing it for rapid'filling. INITIAIa I-ILL POSITION (FIGS. 8 AND 9vent position of FIGS. 4 and 5, at which the can is vented toatmosphere. Thus breaks the vacuum on the can, releasing the can forwithdrawal. The filled containers descend on ramp 93 and are thenadvanced onto a discharge conveyor (not shown) for removal from thesyruper 22.

' As can be seen, although filling is hastened by vacuumizing the canduring both the initial and the final fill positions, dur- After arotation of approximately 25, during which the v vacuum is drawn, thesecond fixed cam. 70 engages the star wheel 68 causing'the rotor to turnto the initial fill position,'in-

dicated in FIGS; 8 and 9. In this position, the larger end of the vacuumchamber. 102 in the rotor .74 is brought over the secondary portl12 inthe body 72. This continues to draw a vacuum on the can C. but thevacuum is now drawn through V the secondary port 112 and hence throughthe smaller diameter passages 120 leadingto gallery 121 of the displacerhead 76., 1

- v Syrup is introduced as follows The blind. syrup gallery 104 in therotor 74 now connects to both the primary port 110 in the body 72, andto the vent port 114 in the body. The blind syrup channel 104 in therotor always connects to the syrup gallery 108 in the'body 72. Syrupentering the channel 104 can now leave via the primary port 110, whichport is always connectedtothe gallery 1.19 and hence to the ports 118 inthe displacer pad. These lead directly to thecan.

Additionally, the syrup gallery 104 in the rotor now opens to the ventpassage 114 in the body; Since the bodyvent passage 1'14 always'opens tothecan via the vent passage 116 vided; Syrup now flows from thereservoir 26 through port 86, (FIGS. 1 and 3) the syrup gallery 108 inthe body, reverses at rotor channel 104, and flows down through thepreviously described'body and displacer pad passages into the can. Thesyrup flows rapidly into the can, due to the gravity head on thereservoir, as well as due to the vacuum on the can. Vacuumizing the canduring the initial fill position also insures that all of theinterstices between the material in the can are filled, because air inis not trapped therein.

FINAL rrr.L POSITION (nos o AND 11) When the turret has rotated thefilling head 20 and the cans through an additional 60, the can will havebeen subin the displacer pad 76, and additional syrup channel is proingthe latter position flow through the various vacuum ports is throttledsomewhat. This retains the rapid fill advantage of vacuumizing as wellas withdrawing foam, etc., but this withdrawal of foam (and possiblysome liquid) is minimized.

' Although the best method of carrying out the present invention hasbeen shown and described, it will be apparent that modification andvariation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be thesubject matter of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A method of filling containers such as cans or the like with liquid,comprising the successive steps of venting the container to theatmosphere; closing the vent and drawing a .vacuum in the container;initially filling the container by introducing a filling liquid underatmospheric pressure into the vacuumizedcontainer while continuing todraw a vacuum in the'container; and finally filling the. container whilecontinuing to draw a vacuum thereon for drawing off foam, air and some 7excess liquid to ensure complete filling of said container to apredetermined height.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of reducing the rate ofvacuum withdrawal during final filling with respect to initial fillingto minimize the withdrawal of excess liquid during the final fillingstep.

3. A container-filling machine having a liquid source underatmosphere'pressure and a separate vacuum source, at least one fillinghead including a valve body element with vacuum and filling galleriesfor respective connection to the vacuum and liquid sources, and anindexed valve rotor element, a container-receiving displacer pad elementand a container-sealing gasket wherein the improvement comprises passagemeans provided in said elements to vent the container to atmosphere in avent position of the rotor element, passage means in said elements fordrawing a vacuum in the container when said rotor element is in a vacuumposition; passage means in said element for rapidly filling liquid underatmospheric pressure into the container and for simultaneouslyevacuating air from the container when said rotor element is in aninitial fill posistantially filled with syrup. The rotor is again turned90to the final fill position. shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. This positionresembles the previous one, with the exception that the necked downportion 102b of the vacuum channel 102 now 1 overlies the vacuum gallery106 in the body. This throttles the tion, and passage means in saidelements for topping off the container by simultaneously filling andevacuating the container when said rotor element is in a final fillposition.

4. The filling machine of claim 3, wherein the evacuation I passagemeans is of reduced size in the final fill position.

5, A container filling machine having a liquid source under atmosphericpressure and a separate vacuum source, at least one filling headincluding a valve body, a rotor indexable into four positions and acontainer-receiving displacer pad fixed to said body, independent liquidand vacuum galleries in said valve body connected respectively to theliquid and vacuum sources wherein the improvement comprises primary andsecondary ports and avent passage extending through said valve body forcommunication with said galleries; said rotor includes an atmosphericvent'passag'e therethrough, a blind filling cavity in continuouscommunication with the liquid gallow of said valve body, and a blindvacuum channel of which a portion has a restricted section;saidldisplacer pad having while the vacuum channel effects communicationbetween the vacuum gallery and the secondary port in said valve body.

6. The filling machine of claim 5, wherein said restricted section ofthe rotor vacuum channel effects vacuum communication in the final fillposition.

7. The filling machine ofclaim 5 wherein the vent passage in said valvebody is in communication with the filling cavity in the initial fillposition.

1. A method of filling containers such as cans or the like with liquid,comprising the successive steps of venting the container to theatmosphere; closing the vent and drawing a vacuum in the container;initially filling the container by introducing a filling liquid underatmospheric pressure into the vacuumized container while continuing todraw a vacuum in the container; and finally filling the container whilecontinuing to draw a vacuum thereon for drawing off foam, air and someexcess liquid to ensure complete filling of said container to apredetermined height.
 2. The method of claim 1, comprising the step ofreducing the rate of vacuum withdrawal during final filling with respectto initial filling to minimize the withdrawal of excess liquid duringthe final filling step.
 3. A container-filling machine having a liquidsource under atmosphere pressure and a separate vacuum source, at leastone filling head including a valve body element with vacuum and fillinggalleries for respective connection to the vacuum and liquid sources,and an indexed valve rotor element, a container-receiving displacer padelement and a container-sealing gasket wherein the improvement comprisespassage means provided in said elements to vent the container toatmosphere in a vent position of the rotor element, passage means insaid elements for drawing a vacuum in the container when said rotorelement is in a vacuum position, passage means in said element forrapidly filling liquid under atmospheric pressure into the container andfor simultaneously evacuating air from the container when said rotorelement is in an initial fill position, and passage means in saidelements for topping off the container by simultaneously filling andevacuating the container when said rotor element is in a final fillposition.
 4. The filling machine of claim 3, wherein the evacuationpassage means is of reduced size in the final fill position.
 5. Acontainer filling machine having a liquid source under atmosphericpressure and a separate vacuum source, at least one filling headincluding a valve body, a rotor indexable into four positions and acontainer-receiving displacer pad fixed to said body, independent liquidand vacuum galleries in said valve body connected respectively to theliquid and vacuum sources wherein the improvement comprises primary andsecondary ports and a vent passage extending through said valve body forcommunication with said galleries; said rotor includes an atmosphericvent passage therethrough, a blind filling cavity in continuouscommunication with the liquid gallery of said valve body, and a blindvacuum channel of which a portion has a restricted section; saiddisplacer pad having passages aligned with the primary and secondaryports and the vent passage of said valve body; said or rotor having avent position in which the vent passages of said rotor and valve bodyare in alignment and the vacuum gallery is blanked off, a vacuumposition in which the vacuum channel effects communication between theprimary port and vacuum gallery of said valve body and the fillingcavity is blanked off, initial and final fill positions in which thefilling cavity effects communication between the liquid gallery andprimary port in said valve body while the vacuum channel effectscommunication between the vacuum gallery and the secondary port in saidvalve body.
 6. The filling machine of claim 5, wherein said restrictedsection of the rotor vacuum channel effects vacuum communication in thefinal fill position.
 7. The filling machine of claim 5 wherein the ventpassage in said valve body is in communication with the filling cavityin the initial fill position.